UConn Football: Two QB system finally working for Huskies

STORRS -- It took 11 long, sometimes agonizing weeks. But the two-quarterback offensive system envisioned by the UConn coaching staff is finally paying dividends.

The Huskies were tough to defend, efficient with the ball and posted a season-best 40 points in stomping Rutgers last weekend. It's a formula the team will look to reproduce with a chance to clinch a fifth-straight bowl berth on Saturday at Cincinnati (noon, ESPN).

The contradictory styles of Johnny McEntee and Scott McCummings, when the offense is executed properly, causes confusion and headaches for a defense.

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"That was the intent from the start, this wasn't something we thought would happen just last week," UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni said.

McEntee, a drop-back passer with limited mobility, runs a pro-style offense. McCummings, though he rarely throws, brings a run-oriented package that includes plays in the wildcat, zone-read, zone option and spread.

"All of the above," Pasqualoni said with regard to McCummings' plays. "He's doing a lot with our version of this wildcat system. There's a lot to prepare for. We throw it enough with him where you have to defend it. Johnny also has multiple formations and plays. It's a lot to defend."

McCummings has slowly been worked into the system more, seeing extended action over the last three games - which includes wins over Syracuse and Rutgers. The key against the Scarlet Knights may have been the accuracy of McEntee (10-of-16 passing), who has struggled with his completion percentage.

George DeLeone, UConn's offensive coordinator, said the problems with the offense haven't been player performance-related but more the coaching staff refining ways to best use personnel.

"Every week McCummings is getting a bigger part of the game plan, and it's helped us run the ball tremendously and taken a lot of pressure off Johnny," DeLeone said. "I don't think the players have ever been a problem. It's us finally finding, it took us this long, what we do best and finding what we can win with at this level. We're starting to get into a groove of what we think we can do."

The differing styles of the two quarterbacks essentially force opposing coaches to devise separate game plans depending on which one is under center. And UConn often changes quarterbacks several times in the same offensive series.

"If you listen to post-game reaction from these coaches, and listen to what they're saying during the week, defenses are struggling with it," DeLeone said. "They have a lot to prepare for, and it's given us a little bit of an edge. They have a wide scope of plays they have to defend."

MEMPHIS, ST. PETE OR BUST?

UConn, at 5-6, must win to qualify for a bowl game. Should that happen, the Huskies' options may well be limited to either the Liberty Bowl in Memphis or the Beef O'Brady's Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla.

A Cincinnati loss to UConn would clinch the Big East's BCS bowl berth for Louisville. The Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando has the option of taking Notre Dame once during its current four-year agreement with the Big East, and it's a virtual lock the bowl will snap up the Irish.

West Virginia, on its way to the Big 12 Conference, would likely then wind up at the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. The Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, up next in the league's bowl selection order, is expected to take Rutgers. Both are natural geographic fits that would maximize tickets sold at both venues.

The Liberty Bowl, with no eligible SEC teams to choose, would dip into the Big East pool for its Dec. 31 game. UConn could be an option if South Florida or Syracuse become bowl eligible on Saturday. If not, then it would likely be the Beef O'Brady's Bowl on Dec. 20.

Should UConn and USF win Saturday, giving the Big East seven bowl eligible teams, the Huskies could also wind up filling in at a bowl outside the league's contracted games, potentially in San Francisco or Albuquerque, N.M.